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Christmas houses?



 
 
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  #21  
Old December 13th 05, 09:31 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?


"Bill DeWitt" wrote in message
...

"Bubbles" wrote :

Oh my goodness! TALK about fiddly!


I enjoy making small carvings. Not enough to make similar ones over and
over again 8-) hence the desire for a process, but in general I find it
relaxing.



I have decided to press them into flat plaster molds like some people
do
decorative tiles. I want to test to see if I can accurately miter the
edges
(perhaps with a sponge) or if I will have to make end cap looking things.



I see your point about relaxing, but repetitive not being relaxing. I think
your idea of press-moulding would work quite well - and you might make the
mold without certain details, so that you can individualized the facades
when the pieces are leather hard.

You might want to take a look at Steve Mills' post today, and see if you
"get" that tool better than I do. Maybe it would work for you? Also, you
could use very soft clay to put the pieces together, so that the angles
don't have to be perfect, as the clay would compensate as you squared the
edges and squished them together? You might want to ask the others on the
group about this, but it would be something I might try out - especially on
such small work as this.


I don't want wood or plastic because I want them to be very nice.



I get plastic or metal, but thin bamboo or balsa and then painted? I think
that would look nice!


"fellow Norwegian"?


Although my surname is Dutch and my home is the US, my genetics and
culture are largely Norse. I'm a little consious of it these days because
I'm trying to recreate some of that heritage for my family. I apologize
for
mentioning it.



Goodness me! I am in no way insulted! Just curious, as I was not aware of
your Norse roots. If you are curious about Advent and Christmas, you can
take a look at this person's page that has a description of her experiences
as a Norwegian: www.geocities.com/nortank

I am, in fact, only too happy to give information about Norwegian customs
(the ones I know) and such things, so you are most welcome to send me a mail
if you have any questions :-)

Marianne - fellow norskie




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  #22  
Old December 13th 05, 11:55 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?


"Steve Mills" wrote in message
...
If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a
piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in
the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of
wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting
the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa.

Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can
describe it.



Ahhhh! You use the thick end of the L to stabilize it against the table! Now
I get it! Thanks Steve - you are a peach! (or a cherry, if you don't like
peaches ;-)

Marianne


  #23  
Old December 14th 05, 01:47 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

Speaking of binaries... If anyone does want to show a picture it can be
posted at alt.binaries.crafts or alt.binaries.crafts.pictures ...

Nice idea by the by.

"Steve Mills" wrote in message
...
If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a
piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in
the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of
wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting
the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa.

Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can
describe it.

Steve


In article , Bubbles
writes


Hehe! TADA!

Except that I can't quite imagine how I would use it to cut, as you say it
has to be thick. If I could make the L out of thin, but stiff metal, I can
see how I could lay the horizontal of the L on the table and run the tool
along the edge of the piece, but how would I do it with a thick piece of
wood?

Thanks, though! Have printed your instructions and will hand them to hubby
to ponder - the perks of being married to an engineer :-)

Marianne



--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK



  #25  
Old December 15th 05, 12:31 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

Nice picture! Glad you posted it because I was making things harder than
they had to be.

Thanks, Donna

"Steve Mills" wrote in message
...
Thanks to DKat.

I've just posted a JPEG. of the cutter on alt.binaries.crafts.pictures

Steve


In article , Bubbles
writes

"Steve Mills" wrote in message
.. .
If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a
piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in
the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of
wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting
the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa.

Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can
describe it.



Ahhhh! You use the thick end of the L to stabilize it against the table!
Now
I get it! Thanks Steve - you are a peach! (or a cherry, if you don't like
peaches ;-)

Marianne



--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK



  #26  
Old December 15th 05, 03:47 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

yes good idea, I thought that I should have said that when I woke in the
middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, ya know how your mind
ticks away )

"Stephanie Coleman" wrote in message
...
And when you join the walls with slip, I would also press thin coils into
each corner to improve the strength to the connection.

--
Stephanie Coleman
University of Phoenix Online

alt email:
706.467.9579
"Bubbles" wrote in message
...

"Steve Mills" wrote in message
...
Make them out of clay slabs cut from a pre-rolled sheet, using cardboard
templates.

Steve



Yup. Slab-building. Try to roll the slabs in 2 or 3 motions in varying
directions, to avoid "memory" in the clay.

A good "trick" at the joins is to use something slightly harder than a
toothbrush (I use a bunch of steel strands from a steel brush, which I
have
glued into a dowel - but strands cut from a stiff broom can also work) -
dip
that in water and brush both join sites - makes slip at the same time as
you
roughen up the edges for a better join.

Also - consider wrapping the houses in plastic for a few days, giving
them a
_very_ slow dry - possibly helping to avoid unevenesses that result in
cracks when firing.

Marianne






  #27  
Old December 15th 05, 04:31 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

Seems my server doesn't support binaries groups. Can you mail the pic to me?

Marianne



  #28  
Old December 15th 05, 06:44 AM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

I just read the whole string and its most interesting. I don't fully
understand why you'd use mitred corners instead of butt joints. In wood
assembly I use a mitred corner because it gives you a greater surface
for glue, but in clay, I would think that wouldn't make so much of a
difference. Also in clay, doesn't that make the outer edge more
fragile? Especially after you wet it with slip? With a mitred corner
you work the outer corner which I was under the impression you want to
keep crisp, where a butt joint doesn't touch the outer corner, leaving
it crisp. Also, on a mitred corner, if you don't have it exact and
perfect and I mean exact, you'll have gaps to fill. I'm no expert but
from what I gather from what I just read, you're no expert either and
for you, the simplest approach might make more sense. N scale is a very
small scale, you're making tiny houses, wouldn't using templates go
faster and be more practical than making molds?

~Kroozr

  #29  
Old December 15th 05, 06:48 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?


"the ''Kroozr''" wrote in message
...
I just read the whole string and its most interesting. I don't fully
understand why you'd use mitred corners instead of butt joints. In wood
assembly I use a mitred corner because it gives you a greater surface
for glue, but in clay, I would think that wouldn't make so much of a
difference. Also in clay, doesn't that make the outer edge more
fragile? Especially after you wet it with slip? With a mitred corner
you work the outer corner which I was under the impression you want to
keep crisp, where a butt joint doesn't touch the outer corner, leaving
it crisp. Also, on a mitred corner, if you don't have it exact and
perfect and I mean exact, you'll have gaps to fill. I'm no expert but
from what I gather from what I just read, you're no expert either and
for you, the simplest approach might make more sense. N scale is a very
small scale, you're making tiny houses, wouldn't using templates go
faster and be more practical than making molds?

~Kroozr

You get a neater finish if you use mitred corners. It is more difficult to
keep the joins not showing if do it any other way.


  #30  
Old December 16th 05, 08:32 PM posted to rec.crafts.pottery
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Default Christmas houses?

Steve Mills mentioned in passing :

Ah, now I see where you are coming from.

If you make a set of basic House Fronts moulds, that gets a lot of the
fiddley work done pre-assembly, as customizing each one will take
relatively little time. Backs and sides can be plain or likewise
moulded.


I think that's what I will end up going with, but this next part made me
think about a multipart mold again.

The other thought was provided by Andy (2 part slip mould) which for N
gauge additions would probably be the best option. Again the cast
piece can be embellished or not as required.


Some how I missed Andy's post. I don't see an Andy in this thread at
all.

Maybe I can make one or two, single part roof and sides mold, which
would match with my specially carved fronts and backs. End up with a three
part mold that I could pour. Hmmm... I might actually start this project by
next Christmas.


 




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